Old Maruti Suzuki Dzire compared with its new avatar!

Maruti Suzuki launched the new Swift Dzire compact sedan at a competitive price range of Rs. 4.79 lakh – 7.09 lakh. The new Dzire will not completely replace the old Dzire because, the company plans to keep the base variants of old Dzire namely, Lxi and Ldi available for commercial (taxi/fleet) market.

Here, we take a brief look at the differences that exist between the old Dzire and the new Dzire.

Styling

The new Dzire has smartly integrated boot unlike the old model which had an awkward boot section. The 2012 Dzire resembles a lot like the new Swift launched in August 2011. The large up-swept headlamps, front radiator grille with horizontal slat and dynamically styled fog lamps gives the new Dzire, a contemporary look. On the other hand, the old Dzire has simplistic front grille with two chrome-tipped horizontal slats and conventionally designed fog lamps.

The side profile of the new Dzire is the only thing that makes its shortened length completely evident. The new Dzire measures 3,995 mm while the old Dzire measures 4,160 mm. This has resulted in a very short rear overhang in the new Dzire. At the rear, the refreshed tail lamp cluster and neatly designed boot lid of the new Dzire are far better than the old Dzire with its bulgy boot lid that looks out of place.

On the inside, the new Dzire gets dual-tone (grey-beige) interiors which add an air to the ambience of the cabin. The old Dzire’s interiors have extensive use of grey tones that makes the cabin dull. The steering wheel, central console layout and instrument cluster of the new Dzire feels much livelier than those of the old Swift. Use of faux wood inserts on the edges of the dashboard and door panels enhances the visual appeal in the new Dzire.

Performance, handling and mileage

The new Dzire gets the slightly tweaked 1.2-litre VVT and 1.3-litre Ddis engine that powers the new Swift. The new Dzire feels and drives more like the Swift, thanks to its kerb weight and short rear overhang. Handling of the new Dzire too is significantly better than the old Dzire. The gearing for the first three gears, has been set for brisk acceleration which is handy for city driving.

With regard to mileage, the old Dzire has a claimed mileage of 17.94 kmpl for the petrol variant and 21.70 kmpl for the diesel variant. The new Dzire has a claimed mileage of 19.1 kmpl for the petrol variant and 23.4 kmpl for the diesel variant.

Features

Let’s compare the base Lxi variants of both the new and old Dzire’ which will co-exist in the market. The new Dzire Lxi has an instantaneous and average fuel consumption display on the instrument cluster and comes with tilt steering. Other of the features in both the models are the same.

In the Vxi and Zxi variants, Maruti Suzuki offers a couple of new features in the new Dzire which were not available in the old Dzire. For instance, the new Dzire gets indicators on ORVMs, dock for mp3 player, double-DIN music system with auto volume control, USB and aux-in ports, retractable cup holders, faux wood inserts, new instrument cluster and Brake Assist System (BAS). Overall the new Dzire packs in more features for a slightly lesser price than the old Dzire.

Space and Comfort

Maruti Suzuki has offered a more spacious cabin in the new Dzire when compared with the old model. Rear legroom has increased by mere 2 cm which is insignificant in real world conditions. Further the rear seats are best suited for two passengers while the occasional third passenger will find lack of legroom and shoulder room.

The boot space of the new Dzire is 316 litres while that of the old Dzire is 464 litres. This will definitely bother buyers who are looking for sedans with a larger boot. It has to be noted that the new Dzire’s direct rival the Indigo eCS offers a boot space of 380 litres.

Overall, the new Dzire offers almost same comfort level as the old Dzire, but its boot space has been significantly reduced due to its compact length (3,995 mm) to qualify for the benefits that the government offers small cars.

Conclusion

The new Dzire has improved in terms of performance, mileage, aesthetic appeal and interiors while the old Dzire leads in terms of boot space. If you had been waiting for an alternative to the Indigo CS or planning to buy the Dzire, but were put off due to its awkward design the new Dzire is for you!